Revolutionizing Physics: The Controversial Construction of China’s Proposed Particle Accelerator

In recent years, China has been making significant strides in the field of particle physics with its proposed circular electron positron accelerator (CEPC). The project, which would see the construction of a 100 km-long accelerator, has sparked controversy within China’s scientific community due to its high construction cost of over 5 billion USD. However, many scientists believe that the long-term benefits of the accelerator could far outweigh this cost.

One such scientist is Eliezer Rabinovici, a professor emeritus of physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and president of CERN. Rabinovici believes that Chinese scientists have the capacity to build the largest particle accelerator on Earth and has witnessed significant progress in Chinese science during his visit in April. While some physicists, including Nobel laureate Yang Chen-ning, have expressed opposition to the project due to more pressing issues such as economic development and environmental protection, Rabinovici believes that China’s scientific potential is being underestimated.

The debate over whether China should build the world’s largest particle accelerator has been ongoing for nearly a decade. Wang Yifang, director of IHEP, proposed the CEPC project in 2012 following the discovery of the Higgs boson in Europe. By accelerating electrons and positrons to high energies and colliding them, the CEPC would enable scientists to make new discoveries beyond the standard model of particle physics. If approved by government licenses and funding, construction could begin within three years. Despite controversy surrounding it globally, many international physicists recognize the potential impact that this project could have on scientific research worldwide.